Your first padel racket is a big decision. Go too big and it's unmanageable. Go too hard and your elbow files a complaint. Go too expensive and you've bought a pro's racket to play like a beginner.
The good news is that choosing a padel racket comes down to five things: shape, weight, balance, core and face. Get those roughly right for your level and you'll enjoy the game more, improve faster and keep your elbow on side. Here's how to choose a padel racket that actually suits you.
First, what is a padel racket?
A padel racket is solid, stringless and perforated with holes. Inside is a foam or rubber core, sandwiched between two faces made of fibreglass, carbon or a mix. There's a wrist strap on the handle, which you're required to wear. Under the official rules, rackets can be up to 45.5cm long, 26cm wide and 38mm thick.
It's not a tennis racquet with the strings filled in, and it's not a pickleball paddle either. Pickleball paddles are lighter, flat and have no holes. If you're still choosing between the two sports, read padel vs pickleball first.
Step 1: Pick the shape
Shape decides where the sweet spot sits and how the racket feels to swing. There are three main shapes, plus hybrids that sit between them.
Round. The sweet spot is low and big, close to your hand. The balance sits low too, so it feels light and easy to control. Mishits still go somewhere useful. This is where most beginners should start.
Teardrop. The middle ground. A bit more power than round, a bit more forgiving than diamond. Good once you're playing regularly and starting to attack at the net. Many intermediate players stay with teardrop for years.
Diamond. The sweet spot is high and smaller, the balance sits toward the head, and smashes fly. Also very unforgiving, and harder on your arm. Built for advanced players who live at the net and finish points overhead. Not your first racket.
Hybrid. Many brands now make rackets that blend teardrop and round or teardrop and diamond. Treat them as somewhere in between.
Step 2: Pick the weight
Most adult padel rackets sit somewhere between about 340 and 380 grams.
- Lighter (roughly 340 to 360g): Easier to handle, quicker at the net, kinder on your arm. A good starting range for most beginners.
- Heavier (roughly 360 to 380g): More stability and power, but more tiring and harder on the elbow and wrist.
Lighter isn't weaker. It's just easier to swing well, and swinging well is the whole point. Players with smaller builds, juniors and anyone coming back from an arm injury should look at the lighter end, and many brands make lighter versions of their main models.
Step 3: Balance
Balance is where the weight sits along the racket.
- Low balance (toward the handle): control, manoeuvrability, quick hands at the net. Common in round rackets.
- Medium balance: a blend. Common in teardrops.
- High balance (toward the head): power on smashes, but more load on your arm and slower to manoeuvre. Common in diamonds.
Beginners should go low or medium. A racket can be light overall but feel heavy if the balance is high, so check both numbers.
Step 4: The core
Inside the face is a foam or rubber core, usually EVA foam, sometimes softer foam blends.
- Soft core: More comfortable, more forgiving, and gives the ball extra pop on slow shots, which helps when you don't generate much pace yet. Good for beginners and anyone with a dodgy elbow.
- Medium core: A balance of comfort and control. A safe step up.
- Hard core: More control and power on hard hits, but you have to generate the pace yourself, and it transmits more vibration to your arm. Better for experienced players with fast swings.
Australian heat makes a small difference here too. Foam softens slightly on hot days and stiffens in the cold, so a racket can feel livelier in January than in July.
Step 5: The face
Faces are usually fibreglass, carbon, or a mix.
- Fibreglass: softer, more flexible and more forgiving. Usually cheaper.
- Carbon: stiffer, more responsive and more durable. Usually more expensive. Carbon is often described by weave numbers like 3K, 12K or 18K, which mostly matter to advanced players.
Rough or sandy faces help with spin, which you won't need on day one but will want by month three.
How much should you spend?
Rackets roughly fall into three tiers:
- Entry level: fibreglass faces, soft cores, round shapes. Perfect for your first six months.
- Mid range: better materials, more choice of shape and feel. Ideal once you're playing weekly.
- Premium and pro models: carbon faces, harder cores, often diamond or hybrid shapes. Built for advanced players.
Most beginners get more from a good mid-range or entry racket and a steady supply of fresh balls than from a pro racket played with dead ones.
Grip and overgrip
Padel rackets come with a single grip size, so you adjust thickness with overgrips. Most players add one. It improves comfort, soaks up sweat and is cheap to replace. If the handle feels too thin, add a second.
Looking after your racket
- Don't leave it in a hot car. Heat damages the foam and the resin.
- Use a frame protector tape to save the edges when you scrape the glass or the ground.
- Keep it in a cover or bag.
- Replace the overgrip regularly.
The mistakes most beginners make
- Buying the racket your favourite pro uses. Pro rackets are usually heavy, hard and diamond-shaped. Great for them. Painful for you.
- Going too heavy. If your arm is sore after a session, your racket is probably too heavy or too head-heavy.
- Ignoring balance. A light racket with high balance still feels heavy in the hand.
- Spending everything on the racket. A great racket can't save you from dead balls.
- Not demoing. Most clubs have demo rackets. Try a few before you buy.
Quick cheat sheet
| Your level | Shape | Weight | Balance | Core |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total beginner | Round | Lighter | Low | Soft |
| Improving, playing weekly | Round or teardrop | Light to medium | Low to medium | Soft to medium |
| Advanced, attacking at the net | Teardrop or diamond | Medium to heavy | Medium to high | Medium to hard |
Padel racket FAQs
What shape padel racket is best for beginners?
Round. It has the biggest, most forgiving sweet spot and the easiest balance to control.
What weight padel racket should I get?
Most beginners do well somewhere around 340 to 360 grams. Go lighter if you have any elbow or wrist issues.
Can I use a tennis racquet for padel?
No. Padel has its own solid, stringless rackets, and you'll need one to play.
How long does a padel racket last?
For a social player, usually a couple of seasons. Heavy use, hard hitting and heat all shorten that.
Already eyeing off a Siux? We wrote a guide to pairing balls with Siux rackets. New to the rules too? Start with padel rules for complete beginners.
Now sort out the other half of the equation
A new racket with old balls is like new tyres on a car with no fuel. We deliver fresh padel balls on your schedule, so your shiny new racket has something worth hitting. If you're new and don't have a favourite yet, the Playing the Field bundle lets you try three brands in one go.